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    Coronary Arteries: The Heart Muscle, Called The Myocardium, Receives Oxygen-Rich Blood

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    Gwenn Salazar
    AHIKa

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    Coronary Arteries: The Heart Muscle, Called The Myocardium, Receives Oxygen-Rich Blood

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    Gwenn Salazar
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    AHIKa

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    AMI

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    AHIKa

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    2 views2 pages

    Coronary Arteries: The Heart Muscle, Called The Myocardium, Receives Oxygen-Rich Blood

    Uploaded by

    Gwenn Salazar
    AHIKa

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    Anatomy Relevant to Acute Myocardial Infarction

    Coronary Arteries: The heart muscle, called the myocardium, receives oxygen-rich blood
    through a network of coronary arteries. The two main coronary arteries are the left coronary
    artery (LCA) and the right coronary artery (RCA). These arteries branch out to supply blood to
    different regions of the heart

    Myocardium: The myocardium is the middle muscular wall of the heart. It's responsible for
    contracting to pump blood throughout the body. Myocardial infarction occurs when there's a lack
    of blood flow to a part of the myocardium, depriving it of oxygen and nutrients, leading to tissue
    death.

    Physiology of Acute Myocardial Infarction

    A heart attack, or acute myocardial infarction (MI), occurs when a coronary artery is blocked,
    cutting off blood flow to a part of the heart muscle. This blockage is typically caused by
    atherosclerosis, a condition where fatty deposits (plaques) build up on the inner lining of the
    arteries.

    Here's a breakdown of the physiological processes that take place during a heart attack:

    1. Atherosclerosis: Over time, fatty deposits, cholesterol, and other substances build up on the
    inner walls of the coronary arteries, narrowing the passage for blood flow. This narrowing is
    called atherosclerosis
    2. Plaque Rupture or Erosion: A plaque can rupture or erode, exposing the underlying tissue. This
    triggers the formation of a blood clot at the site of injury.
    3. Blood Clot Formation: Blood platelets clump together at the injured area, forming a blood
    clot. A large blood clot can completely block the coronary artery, preventing oxygen-rich blood
    from reaching the heart muscle.
    4. Ischemia and Cell Death: If blood flow is blocked for a prolonged period, the heart muscle
    tissue supplied by that artery becomes oxygen-starved (ischemia). Within minutes, cells begin to
    die due to lack of oxygen and nutrients.
    5. Inflammatory Response: The body initiates an inflammatory response to remove dead heart
    tissue. This process can further damage healthy tissue and contribute to complications.

    The severity of a heart attack depends on the size and location of the blocked artery, as well as
    the duration of blood flow blockage.

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